Tipperary 2-17
Offaly 1-15

Jackie Cahill reports from Templemore

MICHAEL RYAN’S REIGN as Tipperary senior hurling team manager began with a five-point victory over neighbours Offaly in Templemore this afternoon.

The Premier County had nine different scorers on target at the home of JK Brackens, in what was a low key fundraiser for the local St. Colmcille’s Primary School.

Offaly’s dual players Shane Dooley and Joey O’Connor were absent on football duty in the O’Byrne Cup but manager and Tipp native Eamonn Kelly will have been pleased by the application shown by his Faithful County players.

Five points separated the sides at half-time and full-time as Offaly conceded two first half goals.

The first one came from a Conor Slevin error as Patrick Maher’s speculative effort from the right touchline was miscontrolled by the goalkeeper and ended up in the net.

Adrian Ryan scored a neat second for the hosts and at half-time, Tipp led by 2-10 to 1-8.

James Mulrooney’s first half goal helped to keep Offaly in touch at the break and the Seir Kieran man finished as the game’s leading scorer with a 1-7 haul.

Both managers took the opportunity to run their respective benches during the second half as Tipp kept their opponents comfortably at arm’s length to kickstart preparations for the Allianz League campaign on what was a bitterly cold afternoon.

Scorers for Tipperary: Adrian Ryan 1-2, Conor Kenny 0-5 (1f), Patrick Maher 1-1, Sean Curran 0-4 (2f, 2 65s), Bill Maher, Dan McCormack, Daire Quinn, Jason Forde & Kieran Morris (f) 0-1 each.

Scorers for Offaly: James Mulrooney 1-7 (0-4f, 0-1 65, 0-1 sl), Paddy Murphy 0-3, Sean Ryan, Shane Kinsella, Colin Egan, Stephen Quirke & James Gorman 0-1 each.

Tipperary

1. Darren Gleeson (Portroe)

2. Joe O’Dwyer (Killenaule)
3. Michael Breen (Ballina)
4. Conor O’Brien (Éire Óg Annacarty)

5. Willie Ryan (Clonakenny)
6. John Meagher (Loughmore-Castleiney)
7. Pádraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)

8. Joe Gallagher (Kildangan)
9. Bill Maher (Kilsheelan-Kilcash)

10. Dan McCormack (Borrisoleigh)
11. Patrick Maher (Lorrha-Dorrha)
12. Sean Curran (Mullinahone)

13. Liam McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
14. Conor Kenny (Borrisoleigh)
15. Adrian Ryan (Templederry Kenyons)

Subs
25. Dylan Fitzell (Cashel King Cormacs) for Gallagher (30)
23. Jason Forde (Silvermines) for Patrick Maher (h.t)
18. Michael Cahill (Thurles Sarsfields) for Breen (h.t.)
21. Daire Quinn (Nenagh Éire Óg) for Bill Maher (h.t.)
24. Kieran Morris (Moycarkey-Borris) for McGrath (h.t)
16. Darragh Mooney (Éire Óg Annacarty) for Gleeson (h.t.)
19. Liam Ryan (Drom & Inch) for Willie Ryan (40)
22. John O’Dwyer (Killenaule) for McCormack (43)
9. Bill Maher for Morris (61).

Offaly

1. Conor Slevin (Kilcormac-Killoughey)

2. Dermot Mooney (Seir Kieran)
3. Chris McDonald (Brosna Gaels)
4. Niall Wynne (St Rynaghs)

5. Dermot Shortt (St Rynaghs)
6. Conor Doughan (Shinrone)
7. Ronan Hughes (St Rynaghs)

8. Sean Ryan (Birr)
9. Shane Kinsella (Kinnitty)

10. Paddy Murphy (Ballinamere)
11. Colin Egan (Belmont)
12. James Mulrooney (Seir Kieran)

13. Stephen Quirke (St Rynaghs)
22. Brendan Murphy (Birr)
15. Sean Cleary (Shinrone)

Subs
17. Jason Sampson (Shinrone) for Ryan (23)
16. James Dempsey (Kinnitty) for Slevin (h.t.)
20. James Gorman (Kilcormac-Killoughey) for Egan (40)
21. Pat Camon (St Rynaghs) for Hughes (41)
18. Brian Mulrooney (Seir Kieran) for McDonald (43)
19. Brian Leonard (Kilcormac-Killoughey) for Shortt (43)
26. Fergus Hannon (Ballyskenagh-Killavilla) for Quirke (63)
28. Stephen Connolly (Coolderry) for Wynne (67).

Referee: Anthony Stapleton (Laois)

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